Are you superstitious about black cats?

Let me begin this Halloween-inspired post by stating the obvious: a cat, no matter what its color, cannot influence fortune. But, of course… this hasn’t stopped people from believing in the “special powers” of black cats for centuries.

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In many countries, having a black cat cross your path is considered lucky.

Whether you believe that these inky felines are good luck or bad could largely depend on where you grew up: If you hail from the United States or most European countries, walking in a black cat’s wake might make you quake in your boots. But if you come from the United Kingdom or Japan, seeing a black cats cross your path will likely make you grin because your luck is about to change for the better.

The direction the cat in question is traveling also counts for a lot. Leave it to the Germans to have the most precise rule about black cats: if they cross your path from right to left it’s considered a bad omen. But if they saunter left to right, the cat is granting favorable times for you. In most parts of the world, a black cat walking towards you is considered a sign that good luck is coming your way, but if they turn around before they reach you, all bets are off.

In Italy, many hold the superstition that if a black cat lies on a sick persons bed, death is not far off. In China, some believe black cats are harbingers of famine and poverty. But when Latvian farmers discover coal-colored kitties in their grain silos they dance with joy. They believe these black beauties embody the spirit of Rungis, a god of harvests. And in Scotland, finding back kittens near your home is a sure sign of riches and happiness to come.

The ancient Egyptians revered black cats and treated them as royalty. In fact, killing a black cat was considered a capital offense. These favored felines were mummified upon their death to preserve them for the afterlife.

Chasing black cats out of your house is thought by some to ensure that yours will not be a lucky home. It is also believed that stroking the fur of black felines will bring health and wealth. Many people around the world claim that there is a single white hair to be found on even the blackest of cats. And if you can pull out that hair without getting a scratch, you’ll have a long, happy and prosperous marriage.

So, how did black cats become associated with witchcraft? In the 15th century, witch hunts spread like wildfire across Europe in a horribly misguided effort to put the kibosh on pagan religions. Many people believed that all witches kept “familiars” — small creatures including frogs, birds, snakes and very often cats — to help them cast evil spells. And if that cat was black — a color associated with magic and sorcery — look out. It became “proof” that the unfortunate victim was a witch or warlock and was a sure ticket to a date with some rope and a few stakes.

Puritan Christians believed that witches had the power to transmute themselves into black cats to avoid death, which inspired many stories and legends. While being sentenced to death, a German witch is said to have cackled at the judge, spat threats at the priest and cursed her executioner. As the story goes, she was dragged from the court and tied to a stake for burning. As the flames rose around her there was a flash of light and a black cat leaped from the flames and ran through the astonished crowd.

King Charles I of England is reported to have kept what he believed to be a lucky black cat as a pet. He was so fearful of losing it that he had it guarded day and night. The cat reportedly died the day before Oliver Cromwell’s parliamentary troops came and arrested the king for high treason. Not long after, the king was beheaded. Alas, his luck had truly run out.

Regardless of what superstitions continue to circulate about cats — of the black or other varieties — it’s safe to say that most people feel very lucky to have them in their lives.